


My Time of Year

by GirlKnownSomewhere



Category: The Monkees (Band), The Monkees (TV)
Genre: 1960s, Awkwardness, Band Fic, Christmas, Cute, F/M, Ficlet, Flirting, Holidays, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:54:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21889231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GirlKnownSomewhere/pseuds/GirlKnownSomewhere
Summary: Ann witnesses the filming of the end credits scene for the Christmas episode.
Relationships: Peter Tork/Ann Moses
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	My Time of Year

**Author's Note:**

> As far as I know, Ann wasn't actually at the filming of this episode. But here's what it might be like if the fic version of her was around. :P I couldn't find a specific shooting schedule for this ep, so I made up the date and order the sequencing, heh. And to make things easier on myself, I also combined the two Monkee girls named 'Barbara' into one person, lol. Merry Christmas/happy holidays! 🎄☃️
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Monkees or Ann Moses' likeness.

One-shot: My Time of Year

Hollywood, October 1967

Ann stepped out of her car in her usual spot in the ScreenGems parking lot. She figured this would be just another day of filming until Peter called her last night and recommended dressing ‘extra snazzy’ for the shoot. She walked through the studio entrance and lobby in a hot pink mini-dress and red flats, mixing Christmas and Advent colors for a more unique combo as she knew the show’s holiday special was wrapping up shooting today. When she entered the soundstage, Peter almost instantly noticed her and walked over with a wave. He wore one of his usual, colorful paisley tops, red pants and moccasin style boots for the episode. 

“Hey! Great color,” he acknowledged on her dress.

“Thanks. What’s going on? Looks like everyone who’s ever been a part of the show is here today,” Ann referenced to how the set appeared to have twice as many people around equipment than usual.

“Oh, we’re shooting a special bonus scene for the Christmas ep. Everyone on the crew and office department are going to wave and say hi to the camera during the closing credits,” he explained.

“Ah. That’s nice,” she replied, not thinking much else before heading to her favorite corner at the back of the pseudo-apartment and Peter moved to the opposite end to chat with Monkee pal David Pearl.

As Ann placed her bag and notebook on the medium sized work table, the journalist raised her head to find five young women walking toward her.

“Hi, Ann. Mind if we sit here too?” A petite, slim woman with a black bob haircut asked while holding a styrofoam cup of coffee. 

Ann raised her eyebrows in slight surprise at the question, but quickly recovered. “Oh, no, go ahead. It’s usually just me here anyw—”

“Thanks,” another dark-haired girl responded before she could finish and all four of them were instantly sitting next to her. “I don’t know if you remember me from the office tour last year, but I’m Linda.”

“Oh, right!” Ann responded cheerfully.

“This is Candy,” she pointed to a dirty blonde next to her right. “And this is Barbara,” she referred to another blonde on the left. “You already know Marilyn, right?”

“Oh, yeah…And hi,” she added as a greeting to the others to be polite. 

Linda casually lit up a cigarette, while Candy and Barbara held Coke bottles, and Marilyn took a sip of her coffee. The latter took a glance around the room as a pause lingered.

“Oh, good. Mike’s wearing the suit I had serviced at the dry cleaner’s,” she revealed. Marilyn was the show’s production assistant, but also essentially a ‘girl Friday’ around the team’s office and even got to be the group’s publicist over their summer tour. Originally she was doing basic favors and busy work on the set, but she became so good at her job and got along so well with the band that now she even did some personal work for the guys. Ann took a look at said suit (sans jacket) on the music artist and saw a basic white buttoned up shirt, a dark tie, brown belt and lighter brown pants. 

“Mmhmm, very dashing,” Candy suggested. “I can see why Valerie and Jan have crushes on him.”

Ann eyes widened slightly at the somewhat confirmation of an old hunch she once had last season.

“Can you blame them?” Linda asked rhetorically. 

“Are you guys for real? Davy’s labeled the cute one for a reason,” Barbara countered.

Ann continued to be mildly stunned at where the conversation had turned, not expecting the girls to chat gossip. But then again, how often would they actually be able to see the boys if they were in the office all the time? The only one Ann could remember seeing around the set and recording studio was Marilyn. 

“Please. Only little girls like Davy,” Candy proclaimed. “He still looks like a boy. Mike is all man.”

Ann rolled her eyes at that claim, much too aware of his true colors by this point to fully agree. 

“True,” Linda agreed before looking across the set again. “He’s got those brown eyes and hair, and is so tall, and that sense of humor along with his guitar…”

“Peter has those qualities too,” Ann suddenly let out. 

The random statement caused all four young ladies to look at Ann in surprise. 

“Oh? Do you and Peter have a thing going on?” Candy asked curiously.

Ann’s comment was supposed to oppose their flattery of Mike, but now she realized it might sound like she was attracted to Peter too.

“Oh, um…”

“Aw, are you guys steady?” Marilyn asked with a sincere smile. “You guys are cute together, now that I think about it.”

Ann tried not to let her face color at the assumptions the other girls were making. “No, we’re just friends…at work…you know, it’s not a great idea to date colleagues…” 

Linda shrugged while taking a drag of her cigarette. “That doesn’t mean you can’t still be into him. None of us are expecting anything out of Mike. Especially since Phyllis and Christian have been around him forever.”

“Yeah, and Phyllis is pregnant again,” Candy added.

“See, this is why he’s least popular with the kids…”

Ann chose that moment to zone out for a second and look at the band. She glanced at Mike as he spoke to his buddy David Price. She didn’t feel nearly as enthused as the others were, even if she secretly did see the appeal. Then Ann found Peter a couple of feet away with Monkee pals Brendan Cahill and Ric Klein. The co-star sensed her looking at him from across the room and gave her a quick nod and smile. She grinned back and suddenly felt the awkwardness go away.

“Well, obviously enough girls think Micky is cute considering he’s dating a fashion model,” Candy’s speaking interrupted Ann’s thoughts again. She shook her head back to reality and turned to the other girls. 

“Ann, is it true Peter makes people take off their clothes when they visit his house?” Barbara blurted out.

“Huh?!” She was taken aback by the question.

“Oh yeah, I heard his house smells like weed and he has nude pool parties,” Linda recalled.

“No—”

“Oh my God, Ann, has he seen you naked?” Candy almost aghast.

“Ladies, come on,” Marilyn interjected before Ann could reply. “What is this high school? I’ve been to Peter’s house as much as she has.”

 _‘Probably more…’_ Ann thought to herself.

“I’ve never seen him naked and vice versa. I’m sure it’s the same case with Ann,” she gave the journalist a sideways smile of support and who returned it in appreciation. 

“Speaking of Valerie, where is she anyway?” Ann attempted to change the subject. “You’d think she’d be all over this kind of gathering.”

“Oh, she called in sick today,” Barbara revealed. “Apparently she woke up in the middle of the night in pain from a cavity and went to the dentist first thing in the morning.”

“Oh…that’s a drag.”

Just then the TV crew’s assistant director, Russ, called for it to be quiet on the set while the band got in position to sing a live rendition of the traditional Latin holiday carol, ‘Riu Chiu.’ Ann leaned forward in her seat while Mike began the tune, followed by Peter, then Davy and Micky before Micky sang the verses. She contently enjoyed the acapella performance, especially since she couldn’t remember any other incident where they might have been able to perform completely live on camera. Peter and Davy particularly looked happy throughout the filming.

When the episode’s director, Jon, called ‘cut’ after Micky blew out the candle he was holding, everyone else in the room moved to the front of the set near the camera. Figuring the final scene was going to be the cast and crew greeting the ‘audience,’ Ann stood up from the table and left to grab a cup of water from a cooler near the stage entrance. As she turned back to her corner mid sip, she felt an arm wrap around her shoulder.

“You ready for your small screen debut, Ms. Moses?” 

She discovered Peter next to her with an excited smile.

“What?” She asked confused while lowering her cup.

“You’re going to be a part of the close-up with the other Monkee girls!” He revealed.

That caused her to freeze mid-motion in shock. “But I’m not on the production team…”

“Might as well be, you’re around all the time.” He gave her shoulder an enthusiastic squeeze.

“I can’t do this, Peter. You know I have stage fright,” she reminded sounding legitimately nervous.

“But it’s not a stage, it’s just the camera.”

“There’s still over 50 people in here and the filming will go out for the whole country eventually,” she stressed.

“So? It’s just us. Think of it like home movie footage,” Peter suggested, not getting the dilemma.

“I’m going to flip out, I just know it. Please, no,” she insisted while standing her ground.

“Ann, it’s fine. If you’re still nervous, you can just stand next to me,” he suggested again while releasing her shoulder to stand in front of her.

“I’d really rather not, no offense.”

He reached for her arms. “Annie, this isn’t as big of a deal you’re making it out to be—”

“NO. I’m not doing it,” she persisted with a pleading look in her eyes.

Peter stood still, baffled at the intense reaction, but gave up the fight. “…Alright…Just wanted you to feel included.”

“Thank you,” she sounded appreciative. “I’ll just stand by Irv,” she said referring to the show’s cameraman, also nicknamed ‘Libby.’

“’Kay…If you change your mind, just jump into the group,” he offered as a last attempt.

“Thanks, but I’m good,” she claimed once more while they parted. Ann stopped back to the table to set down her cup before walking over behind the camera. Peter positioned himself next to his three co-stars in front of the prop Christmas tree opposite the camera. Mike slid to center of the group for the ending message as Jon shouted all the usual cues for the crew to be in prepared. Once Jon yelled ‘action!’ Mike began his speech.

“So the crew that’s helped us for the last two years have families all over the country, and because some of them won’t get home for the holiday season—”

“Anybody have anyone in England?” Davy interrupted cheekily.

“Or even in Dubuque,” added Peter.

“Because they can’t get home to see them for the holidays,” Mike continued. “We thought we’d bring them on, let you meet them and let them say hello to whoever is out there. Say hello and bring you the Monkees and crew’s message which is,” the band suddenly lifted two fingers on their right hands, “Peace.”

“And love!” Peter included.

“And everything else,” concluded Davy.

“Let’s get the guys,” Mike used as an intro to the team.

As Ann stood aside the camera, she smiled as the cast and crew hugged and waved to the camera while the four leads called them off by name. At one point, Ric and David both exclaimed “hi, Mom!” to the camera and then Micky yelled “Hey, there’s nobody behind the camera!” as Jon and Irv quickly jumped in front of the device to wave before moving back again. Davy noticed Ann left on the opposite side and waved for her to join, which she shook her head as a decline, though still smiling. A moment later the four other young women on the set made their way to the front of the camera, with Peter hanging his arm over Marilyn’s shoulder and Mike with his on Barbara’s. 

“These are our resident Monkee girls—” Mike started.

“They work down in the office and look after everything for us,” explained Davy.

“Marilyn and Barbara and Linda and Candy,” Peter named in one big breath.

As the four girls waved and smiled, Peter quickly glanced at Ann with a look that expressed ‘this could be you.’ She just gave a lazy smile and shrug while enjoying the view. After two more men suddenly jumped in front of the camera at the last minute, Mike made himself visible amongst the now large crowd for one more farewell.

“That’s it, goodbye everybody!”

Everyone then joined in in cheering “happy holidays!” and went back to goofing off and cheesing for the camera. Once Ann saw Irv turn off the machine and step back into the crowd a couple of minutes later, she finally skipped up to Peter, and the two naturally embraced. Ann then felt some more arms around her and could find Davy and Marilyn hugging her from behind. Despite missing the on camera fun, Ann still felt like a part of the show family.

Twenty minutes later, the friendly crowd moved away from the set and followed the ladies to a more traditional office party. In the back of the room sat Peter and Ann on a couple of fold-out chairs, holding two small white cups and just leisurely watched the partiers partaking the festivities. 

“Don’t come sulking to me if the show’s still getting airtime in 10 years and you’re kicking yourself for not getting any screen time,” he suddenly teased though with a light tone and smirk.

She smiled back and just shrugged. “Guess I’ll just have to settle on the dozens of photos I’ve taken with you all for my publication.”

Peter then placed his cup on a nearby desk and reached for something inside his pants’ pocket. Ann glanced down to notice it was an unused joint. “Hey, you wanna go outside and…?” He left the question open-ended as he discreetly showed her the object.

She thought about the offer for a moment. She had already smoked with him a couple of times in the past, so it wasn’t really a big deal. But at the same time, she wasn’t really feeling it, and liked just appreciating the ambiance of the shindig currently. “Nah, I’m okay,” she answered slightly shaking her head before sipping her punch.

Peter just gave a shrug and placed it back in his pocket. “No worries. I can always count on Micky or Ric to be my partner in crime later tonight,” he reassured her with an animated voice.

Just then, Micky himself popped up with a confetti gun and began shooting at random corners of the room. Ann let out a playful squeal as a pile of the party accessory landed on her and Peter. Peter chuckled as he wiped off the confetti from his hair and top, and Ann did the same to herself. He noticed some still on the back of her head and leaned over to carefully flick it off. She turned to look at him when she felt what he was doing and gave a small, appreciative smile.

A smile naturally formed on his face. “You look adorable right now.”

While she was completely over being called ‘cute’ and similar endearments, especially since turning 20 back in February, Ann didn’t really mind hearing Peter say it. In fact she felt her heart skip a beat and her smile grew as he moved to casually play with a strand of her hair. Her breath hitched for a split second when he suddenly leaned forward…only to stand up and say a quick ‘excuse me’ before rushing away. Surprised at the sudden action, she turned to see where he went off to and found him greeting Brendan Cahill, the band’s head roadie when they travel. Ann then passively glanced away to find Marilyn in the middle of the party looking at her with a big grin and a thumbs up. Ann just gave an awkward smile and leaned her jaw into her hands propped up by her knees, while she waited for her slight blush to die down.


End file.
